Star Fox: Travesty of Doubt
by Pogiforce-14
Summary: After a time of much war and hardship, the Star Fox Team finally returns home. But Fox's troubles didn't end with the war and only Krystal can remove the burden his heart feels. Chapter 7 is now up.
1. After the Storm

**Star Fox: Travesty of Doubt**

**By: Pogiforce-14**

Author's Notes: This is my first Star Fox fan fiction in a long time, and it will hopefully be the first one I complete. While my other fan fictions were mostly action based with a romantic development between Fox and Krystal, here I am going to focus solely on that relationship through personal trauma for Fox. I hope this will be an interesting read for everyone. Fox McCloud, Krystal, Star Fox, and all related trademarks are copyright and sole property of Nintendo. I claim no rights nor ownership in whole or in part of any of these characters, events, items, or places.

Chapter 1: After the Storm

It was a sunny day on Corneria. The sapphire blue sky was devoid of clouds, the sunlight reflecting off the crystalline waters. A small island covered in lush green grass seemed all the greener under the brilliant light of the Cornerian sun. Fox McCloud looked at all this from the window of a Special Ops class Transport Ship as it prepared to land on the island, and he observed the old steel building on the island's zenith with melancholy. He found a cruel irony in how the beautiful weather masked the horrors of the past week and of the demolished capital of Corneria no more than ten miles away on shore. He couldn't see that bleak horizon from his window. He didn't want to see it.

Fox felt a slight jolt as the transporter touched down, and straighten out his flaming orange fur as the room decompressed for disembarking. He stood slowly and pulled his duffel bag from the overhead storage. Stepping out of the Transport, Fox squinted into the sunlight as his feet settled into the grass.

"It's been a really long time." Fox looked over to the speaker to see his wingman and best friend Falco Lombardi standing beside him, looking up at the peak of the old base. Falco's beak turned up into a half-hearted grin and he scratched the back of his head, ruffling some of his navy blue feathers. "Who ever thought we'd end up back here, eh?" he said, turning his grin towards his best friend. Fox shrugged his shoulders.

"Well no one ever thought the Great Fox would be destroyed either." A higher pitched voice retorted. A short, green amphibian walked between Fox and Falco and continued forward towards the building, pulling a cart laden with boxes behind him.

"Whaddya got there, Slippy?" Falco asked the amphibian curiously. The team mechanic stopped the cart and readjusted his bright red hat upon his brow as he turned to face his friends.

"Basic needs. Food, clothing, materials." Slippy said offhandedly. "I doubt this place will be in tip top shape after leaving it just sitting for eight years. The last two there, though," he said, motioning to two boxes slightly larger than the others, "are ROB's parts. He was pretty badly damaged after the Great Fox exploded, and I felt there was a risk he could have a complete meltdown if I had left him operational. So I'm going to try to fix him up while we settle in."

"Will you be able to fix him?" A voice filled with concern asked. Fox turned towards the speaker and his heart skipped a beat upon seeing a beautiful vixen with pale blue fur standing next to him. She was Krystal, the team telepath and the newest member. And right now her eyes showed as much concern as her voice did. Slippy shrugged.

"I should be able to, though how long it depends. If the base has been untouched all this time, then I should find all the parts I need in the workshop. But the Star Fox team was pretty popular even back then, and if we've had any burglars while we've been away, I may be missing some parts and have to place in an order. Which could take a while, especially with the condition Corneria City is in right now." Slippy frowned, glancing off towards the city remains off on the horizon.

"Do what you can." Fox said quietly. This had been the first thing Fox had said in some time and Krystal noticed this, turning her concern towards the team captain.

"Are you okay, Fox?" she asked tenderly.

"Yeah, buddy." Falco interjected. "You've hardly said a word since reentry." Fox's shoulder slouched, his head hanging.

"I'm just really tired." Fox muttered, his exhaustion apparent in his eyes.

"Yeah…" Falco nodded in understanding, his voice becoming somber. "This last week has been really hard on all of us." Krystal eyed their captain curiously. Maybe it was her sixth sense, but Krystal felt that somehow this last war had taken a greater toll on Fox than anyone realized.

"Maybe we should hurry up and get inside then." Krystal spoke up, alleviating some of the tension in the air. "I think we'll all feel better once we've settled in. Besides, we promised Peppy we'd visit him in the Hospital tomorrow." Fox nodded halfheartedly as if distracted, and walked heavily towards the broad front door. Slippy began tugging at the cart, barely able to get it to move.

"Hey, Falco! Give me a hand will ya?" The frog grunted.

"Sorry pal." The avian responded, grinning mischievously as he took a few steps back towards the Transporter. "Gotta pay the transporter pilot for giving us a ride."

"But what about me!" Slippy protested, even as Falco disappeared back inside the Transporter.

"I'll help." Krystal offered, moving behind the cart and bracing herself against it.

"Thanks, Krystal." Slippy said appreciatively. Slippy began to pull as Krystal pushed, and the cart began to steadily roll towards the front door of the building. Krystal looked over the tops of the boxes at Fox standing there waiting for them by the door. He acted so nonchalant, leaning against the wall, but she could tell something was wrong with him. His eyes seem to show that his mind was somewhere else, and it was somewhere that troubled him greatly. She resolved herself to find out what.

Author's Notes: So this ends the first Chapter of Star Fox: Travesty of Doubt. It's a bit short, but this is to just introduce you to the story. Please rate and review. Serious feedback and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. Let me know if you'd like me to continue the story, or to stop while I'm ahead. Again, Star Fox and all related copyrights are property of Nintendo and I claim no rights nor ownership to any of the character, events, places, or objects portrayed in this story.


	2. Making Repairs

Author's Notes: Seems that some people enjoyed the first chapter, and I would hate to disappoint. Here is Chapter 2. Enjoy. Against, Star Fox and all related Copyrights are property of Nintendo.

Chapter 2: Making Repairs

"This place looks even worse on the inside than it does on the outside." Falco grimaced, kicking a rusted container across the floor. Fox nodded in agreement as he looked around the room. They were standing in the Lobby of their old base, and old was an understatement. The ceiling was practically lined with cobwebs, the joints on the door were rusted so much they had to force their way in and the door was now hanging limply from the bottom hinge. The carpets had rotted and reeked so much Fox felt like he would hurl. The lights were dead, as was anything else electronic in the building. It was obvious to the team that it was going to take a lot of work before this place felt like home.

"Okay, first things first." Fox spoke up. "We need to get the mainframe back online so we have electricity. Then we can get the equipment working, and get the maintenance droids to clean this up." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Slippy, get to the workshop and see if you can get ROB running again. Krystal, go with Slippy. He'll show you where the mainframe is so you can boot it back up. Falco, replace the hinges on that door so we don't get any unwelcome visitors while we're home. I'll go prep the hangar for when the Arwings arrive." He ordered, pointing to each as he said there names. Falco opened up one of the boxes on Slippy's cart and pulled out a red toolbox. In another he found a door joint and set to work.

"C'mon, Krystal." Slippy said, starting to pull the cart towards one of the doors coming from the lobby. Krystal followed slowly, watching Fox as he turned another way and forced open a door that otherwise would have responded to a handprint signature. She only followed Slippy when Fox went through the door and she could no longer see him, nor the troubled look on his face.

Slippy and Krystal walked quietly down the hallway. Krystal looked at the carpet uncomfortably, her mind still on Fox. Literally. Using her sixth sense, she could feel his mind in another part of the building as he moved toward the hangar. She could still sense something unsettling, but was unable to figure out what…

"Something wrong?" Krystal was startled out of her reverie to see Slippy staring at her curiously as he walked beside her.

"No, nothing. Nothing's wrong." She said quickly, shaking her head. Slippy shrugged his shoulders and turned his focus back to the hallway in front of him. Krystal did the same and they continued to walk in silence.

"How long have you known Fox?" Krystal asked Slippy suddenly.

"Huh? How long? Well let's see now… I think it's been about ten years. Why do you ask?" Krystal shrugged her shoulders.

"I've only known him for a year. I'm just not sure I know him that well. He seems like a very energetic and noble person, but lately he's been so moody and mysterious…"

"He gets like that." Slippy nodded. "Usually whenever he's troubled by something. And you can't really blame him. A lot of people died, Pepper and Peppy are in the hospital, and Star Wolf is MIA. But if there was one thing I've learned about Fox after all these years, it's that nothing gets him down for long. Don't worry. He'll get over it."

"I don't know… I just wish I could help him somehow." Krystal sighed.

"Well if anyone can, it would be you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You're a telepath, right? Right now he just needs his alone time, but when the time comes for him to open up and talk about it with somebody, you'll know before the rest of us. You're more capable of being there for him than me or Falco right now."

"Are you sure?" Krystal frowned uncertainly. "I don't want to pressure him. That may make him more likely to just to keep it to himself."

"Trust me, Fox, Falco and I have been best friends for most of our lives. And although Fox will probably never admit it, Falco and I probably know more about Fox than he does himself. I won't say any more, but you're most capable of making Fox feel better." Krystal meant to ask him further as to why he wouldn't say when Slippy came to a halt at a split in the hallway. Krystal stopped next to him. "This is where we part. That hallway there leads to the workshop, where I'm going." Slippy said, pointing down the right hall. "That way will lead you to the mainframe, third door on the right." He said, now pointing down the other hall.

"Thanks."

"No problem." Slippy said casually as he began pulling the cart down the right hall. Krystal stood there for a moment pondering over what Slippy had just told her before going down the left hall. She counted the doors until she reached the third door on the right and slid it open with a loud creak.

The room she stepped into was lined wall to wall with computers and monitors. None of which appeared to be working. She stepped up to one panel that appeared to be the master control. She looked it over curiously, seeing many nobs and buttons that did hell knows what. She began to get a little nervous. How would she turn this thing on?

It was then she noticed a bright red button with a glass cover over it. It was labeled " Power". Krystal lifted the panel and pushed the button.

For a moment nothing happened and Krystal wondered if the mainframe was damaged. Then with a hum the lights came on, and every monitor in the room lit up with pictures and information. As she looked about her, she could see some monitors where security cameras relayed their data. Every room that was shown now had light, included the rooms where her friends were working. She saw Falco putting the last bolt into the new door hinges. She saw Slippy just arriving in the workshop, pulling the cart to a stop in front of a large table covered in unknown gadgets. Then she saw Fox.

The hangar was so large Fox seemed rather small in comparison. He was checking the landing tracks the Arwings would come in on. A wrench was in one hand and he would tighten loose bolts and check the chains in the tracks. Krystal found herself lost in watching him work. It seemed so automatic for him, so practiced. Like he had done this thousands of times before. She leaned against the panel, her mind wandering to her conversation with Slippy as she watched Fox work. She may be the first able to respond to Fox, but would he want to respond to her, she wondered.

"Hey Krystal! Have you dispatched the Maintenance Droids yet?" a voice crackled. Krystal was startled and looked around to find the source of the voice. The monitor that was displaying Falco earlier now showed him standing with the closed tool box in one hand and his finger pressed against the call button for an intercom she hadn't noticed earlier. Looking around the mainframe room, she saw a matching intercom and pushed the call button.

"Um… What?" She asked sheepishly, unable to remember what Falco had asked her.

" I said did you dispatch the Maintenance Droids yet?"

"Oh… No, not yet." She responded. "Which button is that?"

"It should be a green button on the second panel clockwise from the door. I think it's labeled 'Cleaning'." Krystal left the intercom and searched until she found the button Falco had told her about. She pressed it and the monitor right above it turned black with red words spelling out " Maintenance Droids dispatched."

"Okay, I found it." Krystal said after returning to the intercom.

"Alright. I'm done here too. Slippy is probably gonna take a while, so we should report back to Fox and see what else needs to be done."

"Okay. Just wait up for me first. I don't know my way around here yet."

"Will do." Krystal turned away from the intercom and cast one more look at the monitor showing Fox at work before walking out of the mainframe room with the doors sliding shut behind her.

It had been a long hard day. Krystal was feeling exhausted. After having to help Falco oil the hangar doors, wash the mountain of dust covered dishes so they'd be usable for dinner, and pull down cobwebs from the ceilings since the Maintenance Droids couldn't reach that high, she felt she deserved some rest. But before she could take the risk of plopping down onto an old dilapidated couch that had springs poking through the cushions, Fox had taken her by the arm and said he had something to show her.

"Where are we going?" She yawned as Fox lead her down the hall.

"You'll see." Fox replied mysteriously. They stopped in front of a door off the main hall and Fox, still holding Krystal's hand, lifted it and pushed her palm against the Handprint recognizer by the door. A small beep, the light turned green, and the door slid up. Fox guided her into the room and she was amazed by what she saw. "This is your room." Fox said, moving his arm in a sweeping motion.

Krystal couldn't believe it. The room was nothing extravagant, but it was… clean. Compared to the rest of the base, it was like staying in a four star hotel. The nasty carpets that still filled most of the base had been pulled up in here, leaving instead the steel floor of the room. There was a good mattress on the bed that showed no signs of age, and clean, crimson bed sheets were spread neatly on top. A lamp on a small aluminum bedside table was cobweb free with a working light bulb. Against the right wall was an aluminum device she assumed was a specialized dresser. The room was nondescript and with the cold steel floor it wouldn't be completely comfortable, but it would indeed be far more comfortable than that murderous couch Fox had saved her from.

"This is all for me?" Krystal gasped, still hardly able to believe it.

"This used to be a guest bedroom a long time ago. All it took was to order the Maintenance Droids to pay special attention to this room. They even took the box with your clothes in it from Slippy's cart and put them in the dresser already. I also had the handprint recognizer set to recognize your hand only. No one else can get in here but you, unless you let them." Fox explained.

"Fox, thank you!" Krystal smiled joyfully, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "You're so wonderful!" Fox blushed slightly, surprised by the sudden embrace.

"It's the least I could do, since I saw that couch you were about to sleep on." He grinned in amusement.

"Still, this is really wonderful." She said, sitting down on her bed and beaming happily at him. "Thank you."

"No problem." Fox grinned, turning back towards the door. "You should get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow."

"Yes." Krystal agreed. "We promised Peppy we'd visit him at the hospital tomorrow."

"We also still have a lot of work to do on the base tomorrow." Fox reminded her over his shoulder. Krystal grimaced. She hadn't forgotten about the work that needed to be done, but she didn't want to have to think about that. "Good night." Fox said as he stepped through the door.

"Good night." Krystal responded and the door slid shut with Fox on the other side. Krystal got off her bed and peeled off her blue body armor. She smelt of motor oil and carpet mold and was in sore need of a shower, but was too tired to bother bathing right now, resolving herself to taking a shower in the morning before they visited Peppy. She pulled her boots off and grimaced as her feet touched the cold floor, an icy chill shooting up her spine. Still, it was better than standing barefoot on that nasty carpet, there was no doubt in her mind. She walked over to the sleek rectangular device that was shiny seamless aluminum in its younger days, but since had rusted from moisture in the air. She figured it was a dresser but upon approaching it realized it had no drawers. Recalling what Slippy had told her during the trip how technologically advanced the Star Fox base was in it's time, she decided she would try an alternate method of opening it.

"Night gown." She said in a loud, clear voice. The device registered the command with an electronic beep and a drawer appeared from the seamless side and opened for her. She looked inside to see her clean undergarments and night gowns folded neatly and placed within the drawer. She grabbed a pink night gown from within and the drawer closed automatically after she pulled it out. "Thank you." She giggled at her smart dresser, pulling her night gown over her head and letting the hem fall to her knees. She then pranced back over to her bed, feeling giddy in spite of the chill from the floor underneath. Fox had seemed in a better mood this evening and she hoped his mood would continue to get better. She also hoped that the visit to Corneria City, the place that had been hit the hardest by the Aperoid assault, would not cause his mood to get only worse. With these thoughts on her mind, Krystal gently drifted off to sleep in her new room.

Author's Notes: So ends Chapter 2. This story will probably take place mostly from Krystal's point of view until Fox reveals what's troubling him. Omniscient of Fox would threaten to ruin the story. Bonus points to anyone who knows from where the Star Fox base is from.


	3. Corneria City

Author's Notes: Well, here starts chapter 3. Again, I do not own Star Fox or any related copyrights or trademarks. To the reviewer who asked about Papetoon, I am going to assume you mean the Papetoon used in the Reflections series written by another author on I must remind you that that is a creation of the author and does not actually exist in the Star Fox universe. The Star Fox base was originally placed on Corneria. You see it, albeit briefly, in Star Fox for super Nintendo upon starting the first mission.

Chapter 3: Corneria City

It was already past noon when the Star Fox team was ready to visit Peppy at the Hospital. Krystal's morning shower was an icy cold experience and she didn't dare to attempt it again until Slippy had taken several hours to fix the boiler. Between that and the fact that last night one of the Maintenance Droids had misplaced Falco's clothes in the dumpster (Slippy insisted it was a malfunction), plus a power short in the mainframe that left everyone in the dark till Fox managed to fix it, they were all scrambling out the door.

The team wasn't really wearing anything special, but it did differ from the battle armor they were wearing yesterday. Krystal was wearing a white T-shirt she borrowed off of Fox and a pair of black cargo pants with a pair of gray sneakers. Falco was wearing a red tank-top and blue shorts with a pair of sandals. Slippy was wearing his trademark red hat with a yellow T-shirt, blue jeans , and a pair of boots. Fox was still wearing his armored green pants from yesterday to Krystal's displeasure with a white T-shirt.

Falco and Slippy went ahead to the island's pier waiting for the water Taxi that was supposed to pick them up. Krystal stayed behind with Fox as he locked the door behind them. Krystal stood quietly, building up her resolve to ask him the question that had been on her mind.

"Fox…" She began timidly. " Is something bothering you?" Fox looked up at her and sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"Shoulda known I couldn't keep it a secret from the telepath…" Fox said to no one in particular.

"Fox, please tell me what's bothering you." She urged him, taking his right hand in hers.

"I don't want to talk about it." Fox retorted, pulling his hand from hers and started walking towards the pier.

"Fox, I'm worried about you." Krystal said to his retreating back. "Slippy says it's normal and Falco doesn't seem to notice, but I don't like seeing you like this. You don't act like yourself anymore, and it worries me." Fox stopped in his tracks and looked at her over his shoulder. He could see the compassion in her eyes, her fear for him. He didn't need telepathy for that.

"Krystal… Promise me something…"

"Yes?"

"Drop this for now… Peppy's had enough stress already. He doesn't need our own problems to add onto that."

"But…"

"Just, for now, Krystal. If you promise me this, for Peppy's sake, then I promise I'll talk to you about it when I'm ready." Krystal stood there contemplating his offer, her heart ripping her in two. She saw the reasoning in Fox asking her to wait, but her heart kept telling her to push it, her heart wanted her to make everything alright right now.

"Fox…" She began imploringly.

"I mean it Krystal." Fox cut in sternly. "Peppy doesn't need this right now. Now promise me." Krystal felt like her heart was screaming in protest, but she had no choice.

"Okay…" She reluctantly sighed. " I promise."

"Good…" Fox said quietly, starting to walk towards the pier again. "Come on. The other's are waiting for us." Krystal simply nodded and followed, wiping an unseen tear from her eye.

The water taxi was there by the time they reached the pier. It was a small vehicle, hardly any larger than their Arwings. It had a painted yellow body closely resembling the hover cars used on the main land, but the hovercore bottom was replaced with water pylons with mounted pulsar jets for acceleration. Basically a car for the water only. Although in essence the hover cars were better, the water taxi's had better mileage and a more efficient propulsion system for a planet who's surface was 80 water. Fox's heavy boots clomped across the wooden pier until he stood at the door of the Water Taxi. Opening it, he was met by the rather annoyed Falco glaring out from inside.

"What took you so long?" he grumbled.

"Uh…" Fox grinned sheepishly, unable to find an answer.

"The lock didn't want to catch." Krystal said as she walked up beside him.

"Yeah, that's right." Fox said, quickly supporting the excuse. "I had to fiddle with it a bit because it wasn't locking properly." Falco narrowed his eyes at the team leader, not fully convinced.

"Not catching, eh?" he asked coyly. " You're not keeping secrets from your best friend, are you?"

"Of course not." Krystal scoffed before Fox could respond. "What kind of secrets would he keep?" She asked as she slid into the Taxi. Unable to really respond to that, Falco merely shrugged his shoulders and decided to just let it go. Krystal quickly gave Fox a look that said "you owe me one" as he followed her into the taxi and closed the door behind him. The taxi driver, an elderly hound dog with gray fur, leaned back over his seat to look at his passengers.

"Where to?" He asked.

"Corneria City." Fox answered. The taxi driver whistled.

"You really wanna go there? it's pretty messed up, I'm tellin' you. There ain't gonna be much there."

"I know." Fox said quietly. The taxi driver shrugged his shoulders as he turned back around in his seat.

"Suit yourself." He said as he started the engine.

The ride was quiet and uneventful. The water expanded out in all directions and provided little interest. The city was approaching swiftly, and as it grew into focus, every member of the team felt a sickness in the pit of their stomach.

"Jeez." Falco whispered.

"No kiddin'" Slippy agreed.

"This is awful." Krystal gasped. Fox lowered his head.

"Yeah…" he said quietly.

Metal and debris lay everywhere. Several fires burned from piles of rubble. Light poles and streets signs were knocked flat, some crushed. The higher stories of the skyscrapers were demolished from where crashing fighters rammed into them. Some of the buildings had collapsed. The highways that ran high over the city were broken wide open in several places. And this was all only what they could see from the docks as the water taxi pulled into port.

"I don't understand." Slippy spoke up. "When we left it, it didn't look nearly this bad. This looks worse than when Andross attacked."

"It looks exactly like it was after we left." Fox said sadly. Krystal looked at him with realization in her eyes. Of course it would look different to them. They were in the sky during that battle, fighting in the air with the city far below them. But Fox, he had voted to go on foot. He had been down among the rubble, the chaos, the killing, during that whole battle. He knew before anyone else how horrible it was.

"Fox, I'm so sorry…" she began. Fox cut her off with a hard look, reminding her of their agreement. Krystal's eyes became downcast, feeling awkward at being shunned so severely.

"We're here." The taxi driver spoke up, looking at the solemn group in his rear view mirror. " It's five credits for the ride." Fox reached into his pocket and dropped a few coins into the old hound's hand before climbing out. Krystal followed, along with Slippy and Falco. "If you need a ride back just call the dispatcher again." The driver said as he pulled out of the docks.

The group walked quietly off the docks and into the city. The streets were empty save for a few demolished hover cars. There wasn't a soul in sight, at least not anyone who was alive. Krystal's stomach did a flip as she spotted a bloody carcass hanging out a window of one of the broken cars.

"Someone's here." Falco said. Krystal looked up to see that he was right. A black limousine was driving up the road and pulled to a stop in front of them. The driver, a brown rabbit in a black suit, got out of the car and did a small bow.

"Do I have the honor of addressing the Star Fox Team?" the driver asked in a gruff voice revealing an age that his sturdy build hid.

"You do, though I wouldn't call it an honor." Fox responded. The driver did a sort of 'harumph' sound in his throat.

"General Pepper has asked me to provide you transportation to the Hospital."

"Thanks, but I'm going to decline."

"The General insists." Fox was about to persist, but Krystal took him by the arm.

"Please take the offer." She implored him. " I can't stand being out here. The stench of death is unbearable." She felt ready to cry.

"I second that motion." Falco spoke up. "The less I spend here, the better." Fox sighed, giving into the pressure.

"I guess a ride wouldn't hurt. We don't exactly know where the hospital is anyway."

"If you'll please get in then." The driver said, getting back into the limousine. The team walked over to the doors and climbed in, two to each seat facing each other. Falco and Slippy sat to one side and Fox and Krystal sat to the other. With their seatbelts on and the doors shut, the driver started the engine and began the drive through the city.

This ride was far more interesting than the taxi ride, and in that same respect it was much more appalling. As they grew closer to the center of the city, the amount of destruction and the number of bodies mounted. Blood ran in pools and families mourned their dead. Many people sat around fires they started in trash cans since they had no place to stay. Some of the debris fires were being wrestled by the Corneria City Fire Department, but the CCFD did not have enough men to check every fire and several continued to burn unchecked. Krystal could even hear the minds of the living, screaming in agony and sorrow as they suffered to remain alive. She felt like she was going to throw up, and Slippy and Falco looked just as ill. Fox didn't look. He'd already seen it all before.

The feelings of discomfort and remorse were so thick in the air Krystal felt like she could almost taste them. Her friends around her were putting out so much of it her mind was swimming in it. She couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief as the Limousine came to a stop.

"We are here." The driver announced from the front seat. Krystal immediately opened the door and stepped out, taking a deep breath to relax from the emotionally saturated limo interior. Fox walked out and stood beside her while Fox and Slippy got out on the other side.

In front of them stood a large, three story white building. A large red cross on the front marked it as the Hospital. Portions of the top floor were collapsed in but all together, the Hospital seemed in pretty good condition. At least compared to the rest of the city. The stench of death wasn't so strong here, and the sorrow of wandering minds that had plagued Krystal up to this point weren't as close.

"Come on, guys." Fox said finally as he approached the Hospital entrance. "Let's find Peppy."

Author's Notes: Had to cut this chapter shorter than expected because I didn't want to make it too much longer than the others. But Fox finally admitted there is a problem. That's the first step. Great thanks to my readers for giving this story purpose. Star Fox and all related copyrights etc., are property of Nintendo.


	4. Unholy Hospice

Author's Notes: So this chapter took a REALLY long time to type up. It would have been done sooner, but a data transfer gone bad made me lose all my fan fic data and I started from scratch. I'm sorry for making the readers wait so long, and I hope this chapter will make up for it.

Chapter 4: Unholy Hospice

"Oh my God…" Krystal whispered in horror. The inside of the hospital lobby was unlike anything she had seen before. The air was filled with the smell of blood and decay as people crammed together to try to find space to sit on the floor, as all of the chairs had filled up early. Although the room was filled with a variety of animals from wolves to lizards, it appeared as a sea of red as all were cut or mutilated in some form, the hastily constructed bandages doing little to stop the blood flow.

"I don't understand." Falco said in a grim voice, careful to avoid stepping on the hand of a wolf sitting beside him on the floor.

"I don't think the Hospital was prepared for such a situation." Fox said quietly as he looked around the room. "Plus I imagine at least a few medical workers were killed or incapacitated when the city was attacked, leaving them understaffed." By now most people had realized that the Star Fox Team had entered the room and were watching them. They looked at Fox with a pleading look, as if they accused him for their suffering but at the same time hoped he could provide some comfort. Fox averted his eyes with a pained expression on his face. "Come on, guys." He said grimly as he began working his way through the sea of the wounded. Krystal followed close behind him with her hand on his shoulder, watching the people around her with unease as the team worked their way up to the reception counter. At the counter, several nurses were busy taking phone calls and filing through massive stacks of paper. One nurse, a brown she-wolf looking to be in her mid thirties, noticed the team's arrival and approached them at the front of the desk.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a polite voice.

"Um, yes, we're here to see Mr. Peppy Hare." Fox replied nervously. "Can you tell us which room he's in?"

"Hold on just a moment, I'll look him up in our registry." The nurse said as she shifted over to a computer and began typing feverishly. "This should just take a minute." Fox nodded, starting to look around the desk to avoid letting his attention slip back to the blood stained lobby. "Found him. He's in room 1216." The nurse said just a minute later." Go up this hallway." She pointed down a hall to her left. "Take the second right and take the elevator to the twelfth floor. Make a left from there and just keep walking until you see room 1216."

"Twelfth floor!" Falco exclaimed in disbelief, pushing past his leader towards the desk. "What's he doing so far up? You couldn't get him a room that isn't in space?" he retorted. The nurse gave him an agitated look.

"Look sir, I'm sorry, but you friend's injuries were probably minimal and we needed the lower floors for the people who were more seriously injured. In case you hadn't noticed, we're not dealing with just small cuts and bruises here. Some people are dying and we need them as close to the main floor as possible for a better chance of saving their lives." Falco glared at her but made no further argument. Fox roughly pushed back in front of Falco, giving the avian a dirty look as he did.

"I'm sorry for my friend's disrespect. We know you're working hard here. You said room 1216?" he asked the nurse, trying to maintain the peace.

"Yes sir, on the twelfth floor down the left hand side."

"Thank you." Fox said. He grabbed Krystal by the hand and pulled her behind him as he pushed Falco in front down the closest hallway. Slippy brought up the rear. As soon as the team rounded the corner and the lobby was out of sight, Fox let go of Krystal's hand and pushed Falco roughly.

"What's the deal trying to make a scene?" Fox grimaced angrily as the avian turned to face him.

"Hey, don't get mad at me!" Falco retorted. "I'm just looking out for the old man. If it were for him and for us, Pepper and a lot of the people in this hospital would be dead. The least they could do is put him aside in a better room instead of sticking him on top of the building."

"Wise up, genius!" Fox growled, shoving Falco. "A lot of the people in this hospital ARE dead!"

"Hey, don't shove me!" Falco shouted, pushing him back. Within moments the two pilots were grappling in the middle of the hallway, shouting a number of obscenities at each other while passing patients, nurses and doctors looked on.

"Hey, guys come on!" Slippy interjected worriedly from the sidelines. Neither of them listened as they continued to fight, until they found a blue vixen standing between them with her arms outstretched and their minds numbed from a blast of telekinesis.

"That's enough!" Krystal declared, shooting a death glare at both of them. "We're here for Peppy, remember? We're in the middle of this highly crowded, hot, bloody hospital for Peppy. He doesn't need your troubles atop his injuries, so the least you could do is save your male posturing for back at the base where I won't have to feel embarrassed being seen with you." There was a moment of quiet tension as the two pilots glared at each other over Krystal's head before Falco took a step back.

"Fine." Falco grunted, breathing heavy from the exertion. "I'll let it go for now. But I've got one thing to say before we let this drop." He said, frowning as he pointed a feathered finger at his leader. "I don't know what your problem is, Fox, but you're wound up tighter than Kat on Aquas and I'm not liking it. Now I'm gonna let you fix whatever your problem is, but if it starts affecting this team in battle, I'm going to fix your problem for you. And that's not a threat, that's a promise." Fox glared reproachfully at Falco and opened his mouth to retort before seeing the dangerous look in Krystal's eyes and deciding against it.

"Fine." Fox said shortly. "Whatever. Let's just go." He said, thundering off and leaving the others behind them. Falco grimaced but followed.

"Hey, wait for me!" Slippy shouted as he ran to catch up. Krystal sighed silently herself before following them around the corner. She saw Fox and Falco already waiting at the elevator. As she got closer she could see the tension in their shoulders and felt it in the air. She stood uncomfortably between them, avoiding looking at either pilot by watching the number on the elevator display decrease almost painfully slow. Slippy shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. Apparently the tension was enough for even him to feel.

Finally the elevator made it to the lobby floor and the team had to step aside as several doctors carrying clipboards and nurses pushing patients in wheelchairs filed out of the open doors. Fox was the first onto the elevator and waited till everyone else was aboard before pushing the button for the twelfth floor. Within the small elevator car the tension seemed to almost intensify, to a point where Krystal nearly felt overwhelmed. The emotions from Falco and especially Fox were swimming around in her head, where she hardly noticed the elevator had come to a stop. The doors opened wide for them and Krystal nearly fell out of the elevator car.

"Are you okay?" Fox asked her, patting her back as she stood slowly. She looked up at his concerned face as well the other faces of her teammates a little further up the hall now.

"Yes, I'm fine." Krystal said slowly. "There's just a lot of focused negative emotion in this building, and for a moment there it overwhelmed me."

"Would you like some help?" Fox asked her.

"No. No, it's okay." She said firmly as she finally stood completely upright. "I've got it under control." Fox looked at her dubiously but then nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright, but if it gets too much for you again let me know, and I'll take you back to the limo, okay?"

"Okay." Krystal agreed, nodding slowly. Fox looked at her for a moment to be sure she was okay before continuing down the hallway. Krystal sighed before following him around the corner and down the hall. This hall was as busy as the ground floor, and the team had to dodge several nurses and doctors who ran by, some pushing gurnies and wheelchairs while others were just in a hurry to get somewhere. As they worked their way down the hall, Krystal was startled when she began sensing a pocket of positive energy. Almost mirthful.

"Do you guys remember which room she said he was in?" Fox asked suddenly.

"What, you forgot already?" Falco asked coyly, grinning broadly.

"And you didn't?" Fox shot back. Falco's grin faded as he turned to look at one of the doors as if suddenly fascinated by the craftsmanship. "Slippy, do you remember what room he's supposed to be in?" Fox asked, turning towards the team's navigator.

"Sorry, Fox." Slippy blushed. "I kinda forgot too. Maybe we can find a nurse around here who we can ask." He looked around and was even more embarrassed to see that his suggestion was pointless. Although there were many hospital staff around, all were apparently way too busy to answer any questions.

"I think he's in that room." Krystal spoke up suddenly, pointing to a door a little further up the hall. Fox and the others looked to the door before looking at her incredulously.

"You sure?" Fox asked her. Krystal nodded, deciding not to mention that she sensed the positive energy behind that door. Deciding to take her word for it, Fox shrugged his shoulders as he approached the door through the crowded hallway. He carefully cracked the door open to peak inside, being sure it was his friend in the room and not an injured patient who wouldn't appreciate the intrusion. Liking what he saw, he motioned the others to gather round him and with a broad grin on his face he pushed the door open.

Sitting in two different beds were an elderly gray hare and an old brown hound dog. They were laughing at a story they were sharing together and seemed to be in a rather cheerful mood, in spite of the numerous bandages wrapped around their limbs. The hare was the first one to notice the Star Fox Team enter the room and smiled as he greeted them.

"Fox! Good timing! "The hare exclaimed in a gruff voice. "You got here earlier than I expected. The hospital has been pretty busy, from what I hear."

"Well it wasn't easy, but we had a little help." Fox said, smiling at winking at Krystal. Krystal returned the smile, blushing slightly. "So how ya feeling, Peppy?" Fox asked the hare as he pulled up a seat and sat down next to the bed.

"Quite well." Peppy responded. "General Pepper and I were just sharing some old war stories together from our younger days when you walked in."

"I'm kinda surprised you managed to get the same room as Pepper." Krystal mused as she stood beside Fox, looking over at the hound in the next bed.

"That was my doing." Pepper grinned. "I pulled some strings and had the doctor put him in here with me."

"You're one sly dog, Pepper." Falco grinned as he leaned against the wall. "You think you could pull some more strings and hook me up with one of the sexy nurses they got working around here?"

"You want one that can tell you off like the one in the lobby?" Slippy asked coyly.

"Hey, watch it frog boy." Falco warned. "That was a fluke, and you know it." Fox chuckled under his breath, but Slippy laughed openly at Falco's indignation. Pepper and Peppy joined in the laughter.

"So when do you think you'll be getting out?" Krystal asked Peppy and Pepper, resting her hands are Fox's shoulders.

"Well the X-rays said I have a broken bone in my arm, a fractured hip, plus slight head trauma. So chances are I won't be out for a few months, and when I do get out it's on crutches." Peppy stated, his demeanor turning serious. "The doctor said Pepper has a few broken bones plus a few stubborn Aperoid Cells. Nothing too serious, but he's going to be holed up here almost as long as me."

"Which reminds me," Pepper spoke up. "Fox, I'd like to ask you a favor."

"Sure." Fox said eagerly. "Just name it and I'll see what I can do."

"The Grand Council of Corneria is going to meet in a week." Pepper began. "They want to discuss military reform and the reconstruction of Corneria City. As the Military Representative of the Council, it's my duty to appear at the meeting. But I'm too banged up to make it, so I'd like you to attend as my representative." The room seemed to go quiet as Fox let this sink in. Krystal's heart fell as she could feel the mirthful atmosphere start draining out of the room.

"Wait, so you're saying you want me to sit on the council for you?" Fox asked disbelievingly.

"Out of everyone both in and out of the Military, I trust you the most." Pepper explained. "I've known you since you were but a cub and you would know how I would side in a debate. You'd be the perfect choice."

"General, with all due respect, you know how I feel about getting mixed up with politicians." Fox said uncomfortably. "It's not a responsibility I'm comfortable with."

"I know, Fox, but you're really the only choice I have." Pepper said. "I'm in a bind, here. Do it for an old friend?" Fox sighed and hung his head for a brief moment before looking back up at the General.

"Alright. I'll do it, but I can't make any promises that I'll get the results you want."

"That's all I ask. Thank you." Pepper said gratefully, his face brightening into a smile. At this moment a nurse much like the one in the lobby bustled into the room before stopping short, seeing that her patients had visitors.

"Oh." She said uncomfortably. "Please excuse me, but I need to take these gentlemen to the X-ray room. You'll have to come back later."

"That's okay." Fox said quietly as he stood up. "We were about to leave anyway." Fox began walking towards the door. Falco and Slippy headed towards the door as well, with Krystal following behind. "See ya, guys." Fox called out as he reached the door.

"Take care, team." Peppy called back as the Star Fox Team left the room. Krystal never took her eyes off Fox as they walked back down the hall. She tried to decipher the emotions he was exuding. Whatever burden Fox was carrying, it seemed to have grown when Pepper asked him to sit on the council. Krystal couldn't understand what was going on, and it frustrated her. Just what exactly was bothering Fox?


	5. Don't Do It Alone

Author's Notes: So people are starting to ask me "Where is the romance?" Be patient. You'll seem some soon enough. Here is chapter 5, do enjoy.

Chapter 5: Don't Do It Alone

The ride back home was quiet and uneventful. In fact, it seemed like a much shorter trip altogether. Each member of the team was so preoccupied with their own thoughts that time just seemed to fly. The team knew that Fox would always do anything to help out a friend, and they had all expected Fox to agree to Pepper's proposition. What they hadn't expected was the reluctant way he accepted it, when Fox would normally jump on the opportunity to help. Krystal had no more time to delve more into it, though, as the water taxi pulled up next to the moldy old dock perched out front of the Star Fox base.

Krystal stepped from the cab onto the age softened wood of the dock, already turning to discuss Fox's problem as he had promised. To her surprise, she found him halfway to the base already. She left Slippy and Falco to argue over who would pay the cab driver as she hurried to catch up. Fox was moving at a brisk pace, and Krystal found herself panting for breath when she caught up, slipping on the grass still wet from the morning dew.

"Fox, wait up!" she gasped, stumbling up beside him as he continued walking. Fox glanced briefly at her from the corner of his eye before locking his gaze on the rusted front door ahead and continued walking.

"We still have a lot of repairs to do, Krystal." Fox reminded her upon reaching the door as he refused to look in her direction. Slippy and Falco were now heading up the embankment after them some distance behind.

"I know that." Krystal said, annoyed. "I just wanted to talk."

"We can talk later." Fox grunted as he worked the key in the rusted old lock on the door, still avoiding her gaze. Krystal frowned as she placed her hands on her hips in a stance of defiance.

"Fox, you promised me we would talk." She reminded him indignantly.

"I promised we would talk when I was ready." He clarified, looking up at her from the now open and thoroughly disintegrated lock with a stern glare in his eyes that caused an unsettling sensation in the pit of her stomach. "And right now I'm not isn't the time to talk."

"Well when will you be in the mood? Tomorrow? Next week? Next Year? Next Century? By the time you're ready to talk I'll be dead from worry or age." Krystal's anger softened as she continued, and her grimace softened as well into a look of anxiety as she knelt next to him by the door. "Fox, I'm just worried about you. Something is wrong. I can sense it. I can feel it. It must be something serious to make you keep secrets, and that makes me worry for you all the more. You don't seem to be happy anymore." She said, taking his hand in hers and holding it to her chest in a moment of passion. "You probably had no intention of keeping your promise, probably just something to keep me from making a fool of myself, but I won't stop until you share your troubles with me."

Fox's cheek fur turned a darker orange as he felt the warmth of her hands and her body flowing into the palm of his hand. He looked into her deep, cerulean blue eyes that seemed to plead with him as he quickly pulled his hand away from her to prevent becoming further embarrassed. "Look, Krystal, I'm sorry I make you worry." Fox said quickly, standing up with a slight grunt. "And I'm really sorry I made a promise I may never keep. But I just don't want you to get involved. Bringing you into my problems could only get you hurt, and besides, I can handle it on my own. So don't worry, okay? I'll figure things out."

"But Fox…" Krystal pleaded. Fox remained silent, instead forcing the doors open and walking inside, purposely avoiding looking at Krystal's tear filled eyes. Krystal watched him leave her as she still held her hands to her chest as if he was still with her, her emotions playing games with her heart.

"What was that all about?" Krystal jumped and spun around to see who had startled her, seeing Falco and Slippy standing behind her with quizzical expressions upon their faces.

"Oh, hi boys. Um…. How long have you been standing there?" Krystal asked in embarrassment, a blush turning her cheeks a dark purple as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, smearing the soft blue fur of her cheeks.

"Long enough to hear you two arguing." Falco frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "I knew something was wrong with him, but if he's keeping secrets from even you then it's gotta be something big."

"What do you mean, keeping secrets from 'even me'?" Krystal asked, perplexed. "I don't understand." Falco grinned at her naivety.

"Krystal, you really don't know how Fox feels about you?" Slippy asked in surprise. Krystal shook her head, looking down at the ground in thought.

"I sometimes get pieces of it when I try to read him, but he seems to have some natural ability to haze out my psychic powers. I can't read him all that well, and it's making it difficult to find out what's wrong…" she said thoughtfully, biting at her thumb as she pondered the tidbits of emotion she had gotten from scanning Fox's mind.

"Well I'll tell you one thing." Falco said, walking up to Krystal and placing a feathered hand on her shoulder. "Fox and I, we go way back. We've been best friends for years, and all that time we've had each other's backs. I'm his wingman. But there are limits to our friendship. No matter how good friends Fox and I are, there is only so much you can tell a wingman. Now with you and him, it's different." Krystal looked up at him as she listened intently. "You and Fox are from the same mold. You both lost your families to Andross at a young age. You both have strong fighting spirits and a sense of duty. And I may not be a telepath, but I can tell that you both have strong feelings for each other. Far stronger than any me or Slippy could share with him. And that is why if any one of us is going to get our old Fox back, it's you." Krystal blushed again and grinned bashfully, moved by Falco's speech and embarrassed at the same time. She had no idea he could be so eloquent, or that he could read her that easily. It changed her perspective of him. Fox really did have some good friends.

"Thank you." Krystal said timidly, unused to seeing this side of the Avian.

"No problem." Falco saluted her with his wing, his beak turning up into a cocky grin. "And if you ever need any help, me and Slippy are here for you. After all, I'm your wingman too. You won't have to do it alone." Krystal smiled bashfully.

"Hey, guys, let's get inside." Slippy suggested to the others, finally deciding he had remained quiet long enough. "We still have a lot of work to do and I know Fox wouldn't want to be kept waiting." Falco slumped his shoulders as he groaned, the grin wiped right off his beak.

"More work? As if yesterday's sweat and dirt filled happy hour wasn't enough?" the avian grumbled angrily. "I gotta admire Fox's work ethic, but I'm still sore from yesterday!" he declared.

"Well the sooner we get it done, the better." Slippy said sternly, marching into the building.

"You're just saying that because you get to tinker with computers all day." Falco groaned as he followed the amphibian indoors. "You weren't forced to help a maintenance droid lift and move a G-diffuser from the North to South hangars. Those things are heavy." Krystal smiled in amusement at Falco's complaints and took a moment to listen quietly to lapping of the ocean waves and the gentle blow of the wind over the water before following them inside.

They found Fox in the Central Control Room that Krystal had been in yesterday, and before long they were each set to their chores for the day. A fighter transport vehicle had dropped off the Arwings at the northern hangar and Krystal was charged with running the diagnostic tests on each Arwing, cleaning it, and getting it locked into its launch bay in the hangar. It was fairly simple work, and three hours into it Krystal had already finished up with two of the Arwings and was halfway through the third. She carefully checked each part of the Arwing, starting with measurements from inside the cockpit to be sure everything was running at 100 percent. She settled into the worn, red leather upholstery of the pilot's seat as she viewed the control panel in front of her, various lights and buttons begging for attention. With her legs crossed and a clipboard and pen settled in her lap, she began documenting the readings the control panel was giving her. A green bar graph on the right hand side of the control panel displayed full power to the G-Diffuser system which would allow the fighter to shift it's interior and exterior gravity on the fly. This would allow the fighter to battle with a gravitational constant so the pilot wouldn't have to adjust to a new gravity when battling on a different planet. Scribbling some notes onto her clipboard, Krystal grasped the steering wheel firmly in her hands and tilted the wheel as she craned her neck to see the sides of the fighter. The ailerons moved in time with the steering wheel, and Krystal marked down on her clipboard the results. Finally reaching the end of the diagnostics, she checked the panel on the left that displayed the shield strength and engine fuel remaining in the Arwing. The shield strength was low, close to 50, while the fuel was closer to 80. Krystal reminded herself that when ROB was up and running again, she needed him to install some new energy ring converters into her shield generator. With the diagnostics now complete, Krystal smiled contently to herself as she tucked the clipboard under her arm and opened the hatch, climbing carefully down the three steps that slid out from the side of the Arwing. Once back on the cold steel floor of the hangar, she set the clipboard down on a wooden workbench nearby before preparing for the second part of her task.

This particular Arwing was hers, the one she used in combat. So she was taking special care of it, scrubbing the metal until her face was reflected in it. She was humming softly to herself when a scraping noise at the far end of the hangar caught her attention. She bent down and peaked beneath the Arwing to see what was making the noise.

Coming in through the hangar door was Fox, dragging a large unfamiliar machine behind him by a length of rope. It looked like very difficult work, as Fox had already removed his shirt to cool off from the exertion, his muscles flexing with each tug on the rope. He dug his steel toed boots into the ground for better grip, but was still making slow progress. Fox gritted his teeth with a look of complete determination on his face, his eyes locked on the other side of the hangar where the contraption was destined. Deciding to help him out, Krystal dropper her washcloth into the pale with a small splash before walking around the Arwing and across the hangar to meet him.

"Need any help?" She asked him politely, her arms folded neatly behind her back. Fox looked up at her as she spoke, taking a moment to rest as he stood gasping with his hands resting on his knees.

"No thanks." Fox managed between breaths. "I gotta get this thing over next to the flight projector, and I'd rather not trouble you with it. Besides," He continued, managing a small smile. "This can be my workout for the day." Krystal smiled, giggling softly to herself.

"Well there's no need in taking the burden all by your self. You could hurt your self like that. Here, let me help." Krystal demanded, walking around behind the device and placing her hands against it in a pushing position.

"Are you sure?" Fox asked her as he hesitantly took the rope up in his hands once more. "Don't you need to finish running diagnostics on the Arwings?"

"Don't worry, this won't take long." She responded confidently, flashing a smile in his direction. Fox merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright then." Fox shrugged his shoulders. "Let's get to it." Shouldering the rope, Fox again began digging his feet into the ground, gritting his teeth as he put all his muscle into moving the machine. Krystal's hands began to glow a soft dull blue, and suddenly the machine began moving at a steady pace considerably faster than before. Fox himself was thoroughly surprised as he stumbled from the sudden change of pace. Within minutes they had the machine nestled snuggly next to the flight projector on the opposite side of the hangar.

"That was fast." Fox breathed, looking at Krystal in amazement." How did you do that?"

"What, you thought my psychic powers were limited to only reading minds?" Krystal laughed. "I have some minor telekinetic abilities, in case you forgot from earlier today. I'm stronger than what meets the eye." Fox grinned.

"Is that so? Then maybe we ought to give you hard labor more often." Fox joked. Krystal punched him playfully in the shoulder. They both laughed happily as they sat resting next to the machine, Fox's shirt slung over his shoulder and both panting slightly from a job well done. Their laughter faded as they looked peacefully out the hangar door, the mid-afternoon sun creating dazzling images on the ocean view they had.

"I'm sorry about earlier." Krystal said suddenly, her gaze never shifting from the view outside. Fox gave her a quizzical look, but she continued. "I shouldn't be making a scene like that. You did promise me you would tell me when you were ready, and I shouldn't force you to tell me. It does neither of us any good." Krystal cast her eyes down to her fidgeting hands as she let her apology sink in.

"Oh, that's what you meant." Fox said, finally understanding what she was apologizing for. "It's really no big deal." He continued, shrugging his shoulders. "I know I've been acting whack lately, and I'm pretty sure the others have noticed it by now too. I understand you wanting to help, and I don't blame you for it, but it's just a personal problem. I don't want to get my friends involved. Getting you guys involved will only cause more problems. So there is no need to apologize for it. You just want to help because you care."

"Far more than you know…" Krystal mumbled under her breath before she could catch herself. Fox blushed but pretended like he didn't hear it. He imagined he wasn't mean to hear it anyway, and Krystal just forgot to take into account his excellent hearing. Krystal sensed the change in his emotions though and became self-conscious of her actions, causing her to blush as well and both of them averted their eyes from each other. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Fox spoke.

"Do you know what I thought when I first saw you?" he asked her. Krystal shook her head as she looked at him. "I thought 'She's so beautiful, yet so powerful looking. She seems like the kind of girl who's worked hard all her life.' I somehow knew you would join up with us later, or at least I had hoped you would. We have so much in common, having you around let's me feel like I'm not alone anymore." Fox blushed for sharing his inner thoughts with her, wondering what brought him to do that. He looked over to her to see how she reacted. Krystal was blushing furiously, a smile playing on her face.

"Fox, that's so sweet…" Krystal said quietly, unable to bring herself to say anything more. After a moment of silence, the two of the smiling at each other, Fox cleared his throat as he stood.

"Well, I need to get back to work." Fox said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "And I imagine you need to get back to the Arwings. I'll talk to you later okay?" Krystal looked up at him and smiled.

"I'd like that." She said quietly. Fox gave her a warm smile in return before turning towards the hangar door.

"I'll catch you later then." Fox called over his shoulder, waving to her as he walked out the hangar door. Krystal watched him with fascination, the way the sun outlined him like a great hero leaving for the battlefield. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the sight. Sighing almost wistfully as she stood, she begrudgingly headed back to the Arwings. They were making progress. Fox told her things she had only hoped she had sensed before. It was a step in the right direction. And there was yet more she hoped to hear from him before long. She wanted to get closer to him, far closer than ever before…

Krystal shook the romantic thoughts out of her head as she picked up her wash cloth and continued to wash the Arwing down. She peaked around the Arwing as if hoping she would still see Fox in the hangar door outlined by the sun. She silently wished her psychic powers allowed her a photographic memory. She would have liked to replay that scene of him standing there in the sun smiling at her again and again and again…

Author's Notes: Not done yet. Chapter six on the way. Things are looking good, but they're going to get worse before they start getting better…


	6. The Grand Council of Corneria

Chapter 6: The Grand Council of Corneria

A piercing siren thundered inside Krystal's ears causing them to twitch slightly in discomfort as she rolled over beneath her silken sheets, grumbling miserably. Thrashing out with a hand, she managed to slap the alarm clock off the bedside stand and onto the floor, where the siren came to a screeching halt. Raising up on one elbow with eyes half-lidded with sleep, Krystal looked around her room drearily. Her normally smooth, blue fur stuck out in odd directions as she pulled herself to a sitting position and pulled the red silk covers back as she swung her feet out of bed. The icy cold steel floor proved to be a stronger wake up call than the alarm clock and just as unwelcome as she stood from her bed, the hem of her bright pink nightgown falling down around her ankles. Krystal padded sleepily over to her dresser, rubbing her eyes as she pulled a towel and a clean outfit from one of its many drawers. With the clothing draped over her arm, Krystal trudged out into the hallway and began a slow march to the bathroom close to her room.

"Morning." Krystal looked up to see Falco leaning against the opposite wall, wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans and boots with his arms crossed in front of him as he sipped from a white porcelain cup. Krystal grunted wordlessly as she returned her attention to the bathroom door and continued walking. "Just woke up, huh?" Falco grinned from behind his mug. Krystal shot him a dagger filled glare with her stunning blue eyes but Falco's grin merely broadened. "Not a morning person I suppose. Well then I guess I'll see you later then." Falco said nonchalantly, giving her a casual wave as he turned away and sipped his coffee as he headed back down the hallway. Krystal grumbled to herself about it being too early for jokers before pressing her palm against the button for the bathroom door and stumbled through as it slid open.

Krystal's shower took only a few minutes, but she came out of the bathroom looking clean and refreshed, wearing a white tank top and tan Kaki shorts with a pair of bathroom slippers. Finally awake and feeling ready to face the day, Krystal walked down the hallway back to her room to put her boots on before heading down to the Dining Area. More commonly known as the Mess Hall

Krystal never really understood the term Mess Hall, though in the Star Fox Base it seemed to apply. The day they had gotten back the room was caked in layers of dust where one sneeze could cause the equivalent of a sand storm. Although since then the dust had been cleaned up, broken tables and rotted floor panels kept the room from looking clean. A counter from where the "Mess" would have been served if it was still a fully operational Military Base had basins of sourly rotten food. Krystal had attempted to clean it up herself yesterday afternoon but the putrid smell of rotten collard greens and fossilized chicken nearly rendered her unconscious. And since the Maintenance Droids were about two feet tall at best and not suited for the counter that was about a foot taller than they were, the team had no choice but to leave it alone until Rob was operational again. Each table was surrounded by 4 two person couches which Krystal didn't doubt was a Star Fox Team personal decoration. The couches, once soft and satiny to the touch, were now battered and torn from years of age and rodent infestation. It had been one of these couches Fox had spared her from by giving her her own room.

Once inside the Mess Hall, she noticed Fox sitting on one of the couches eating what looked to be bacon and eggs while Falco was leaning against the wall nearby still sipping his coffee. She didn't see Slippy anywhere.

"Good morning, boys." She greeted them happily with a wave of her hand as she entered the room. Falco merely tilted his cup in her direction. Fox returned the wave with his free hand. "Where's Slippy this morning?" she asked him.

"He's taking breakfast in the workshop. He was getting tired of the smell of rotten food in here and wanted to get Rob operational ASAP." Fox muttered as he took another bite of eggs from his plate. Krystal smiled to herself at the thought of being able to approach the cafeteria without feeling nauseous and walked up to the table where he was eating.

"So what do we have to eat that isn't moldy and moving on it's own?" She asked jokingly as she leaned on the table.

"Bacon and eggs." Fox said matter of factly. " There was some ham in there but it smelled funny and I wouldn't suggest it."

"Makes me think of Pigma anyway." Falco grimaced with a shudder. " Not a pleasant image." Krystal giggled mirthfully.

"Bacon and eggs is fine." Krystal said, walking over to the kitchen area of the cafeteria to prepare her breakfast.

Half an hour later Krystal pushed her empty plate away with a contented sigh. Her belly was filled with the warmth of her breakfast that threatened to lull her back into the land of dreams she had escaped only a few hours before. A quick jolt at her shoulder woke her from her lazy state, causing her to jump slightly as she turned to see why Fox was shaking her.

"Don't go to sleep just yet, we still have a whole day ahead of us." Fox reminded her as he stood from the table. Krystal groaned in disapproval, her face contorted in reluctance and discomfort as she forced herself to stand. Falco's shoulders shook with a chuckle as he watched, raising his glass to hide his grin.

"Yep." He muttered quietly. "Definitely not a morning person."

The Star Fox team quickly continued repairs on the base, the work going unbearably slow as far as Krystal was concerned. To her relief, Slippy called the team into the Command Center around noon to announce that Rob's repairs were complete and he could aid the team in the repairs. Which, to her frustration, led to an argument between Falco and Slippy about why the amphibian felt the need to have a small ceremony for Rob's rebirth instead of just putting the robot to work and saving them the time.

Nonetheless, the team was making progress. Soon after Rob was operational a hoverbarge arrived with an order of carpeting for the base. With Rob's help the reception room at the front of the bast was carpeted within the hour. By mid afternoon all the sleeping quarters and a large number of the base's near infinite hallways were covered in a smooth crimson fuzz that tickled Krystal's ears and smelled of roses. As the sun began to set on the distant horizon casting long shadows through the base's windows, the intercom crackled to life with Slippy's voice.

"Attention everyone, I need you to gather in the Communications Room as soon as possible. We've got a high priority transmission from the Grand Council Elder herself and she demands an audience." At the moment of this announcement, Krystal, Fox and Rob were working on a length of carpet in a corridor. Fox and Krystal were carrying the carpet roll while Rob was tacking the edges into place and attaching the carpet to the floor. Krystal noticed how Fox's ears perked up at the mention of the Grand Council elder and his demeanor seemed to turn instantly sour as his face contorted into a grimace.

"Rob, finish this up for us." Fox said curtly as he set his end of the carpet roll on the floor.

"Roger." Rob confirmed in his mechanical voice, lifting a metallic claw in salute. Krystal set down her end of the carpet roll and looked up to see Fox already good distance down the hall walking at a brisk pace.

"Hey, Fox, wait up!" Krystal called out to him as she ran to catch up. Fox glanced over his shoulder at her briefly and slowed down enough for her to walk beside him.

"You don't seem to happy about the Elder." Krystal observed tentatively. "Any reason why?"

"We met before." Fox stated, looking down the hall frown as they walked. " She finds hiring mercenaries for government matters deplorable, an embarrassment, and a mockery of what Corneria stands for. Needless to say she rides our asses harder than Andross's Army ever did. She only lets us stay in business because the rest of the council is on our side."

"Doesn't sound like a very pleasant woman to me." Krystal frowned, nervous at the prospect of meeting such a person.

"You have no idea…" Fox grumbled. By then they had approached the communications room. Fox pressed a button on the wall and the steel door slid open to allow them entry.

The communications room was a circular enclosure with a large, articulate hologram projector placed in the center of the room. A seat attached to the end of a raised metal arm had a control panel with which the holographic display could be monitored and controlled. Slippy sat in this seat hunched over the control, making sure the communication channels were clear with nothing and no one interfering. Falco was leaning against the opposite wall from the door, a deep grimace on his face telling Krystal he had also had some unpleasant memories of the Grand Council Elder. The hologram projector showed clear signs of age, with patches of rust wearing through the steel exterior, threatening to damage the delicate machinery within. Nonetheless the projector was operational with a blue haze rising from the projection platform to prove it.

"Good, you're here." Slippy said with relief as he saw Fox and Krystal enter. "I wasn't sure how much longer we could wait. The Elder was getting quite irate with being made to wait."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Fox said sarcastically. "Put her on." Slippy began typing on the control panel and the blue haze of the projector flickered before it was replaced with the visage of an elderly looking collie female, her fur hanging limply from her face.

"Greetings, Councilwoman Diana." Fox said in a cold voice.

"Greetings, Fox McCloud." The councilwoman said in an aged voice, narrowing her eyes at the team's captain. "I'd say it was a pleasure to see you again, but then I'd be lying." She said quite bluntly.

"The sentiment is mutual." Fox frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me what your business is so I can get back to work. I have better things to do with my time than to debate politics with you."

"Straight to the point as always." Councilwoman Diana sneered. "I suppose even the lowest criminal has to have some redeeming qualities." Fox's eyes darkened at the comment. Krystal began to feel nervous as she watched. The tension between the councilwoman and their captain was so thick she could practically see it. Every muscle in Fox's body was drawn taught as if preparing for combat, and the expression on the councilwoman's face revealed a similar posture on her end.

"As for your work," the councilwoman continued, disturbing Krystal's thoughts. " I happen to be doing far more. Rebuilding a city is a lot of work, I'll have you know, and I normally wouldn't be wasting my precious time with you if it weren't for the news I've received."

"And what news is that?" Fox asked, purposely ignoring the insult.

"General Pepper has just informed the council that you will be sitting in on our next meeting on his behalf. I had to be sure for myself that what I heard is true."

"You've heard correctly." Fox replied with curt, overacted formality. "General Pepper has indeed asked me to sit on the council on his behalf."

"You are aware of the matters we may discuss, correct?" the councilwoman asked in with a condescending sneer. " You've always said that you're are not a politically minded individual. I wouldn't want you to get in over your head." She emphasized.

"I am aware of the matters you like to discuss, councilwoman." Fox remarked with a glare. "I've been to one of your meetings before, remember? The one where you made a motion to have my team exiled for partaking in an 'immoral' profession?"

"My interests have always been for the betterment of Corneria and its people." Was Councilwoman Diana's dignified response.

"Well with all due respect, ma'am." Krystal said timidly, stepping forward with her head bowed. "Fox's interests have always been for the betterment of Corneria. He will not take a mission that threatens Cornerian peace." The councilwoman's piercing gaze turned to Krystal as if noticing her for the first time.

"You're name is Krystal, correct?" the councilwoman asked her.

"Yes ma'am." She responded shyly, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Well Krystal, I'm going to assume you haven't known Fox as long as I have. A man who works only if the paycheck is large enough and virtually leaches off the military budget does not seem like the sort of man who has the best interest of Corneria at heart." She declared, returning her attention to Fox as she spoke. "That seems more like a man who would sell himself to the highest bidder, and that sort of man is one who would seem more like a threat to Corneria than an asset."

"But ma'am…" Krystal began.

"That's enough, young lady." The councilwoman interrupted. "This matter does not concern you."

"Oh, and I suppose we're supposed to just stand by and let you trash talk our leader like that?" Falco declared angrily, unable to keep from speaking out.

"Falco, it's okay." Fox said quietly.

"No, it's not okay!" Falco shouted angrily, the feathers on his head rising in his anger. "I'm tired of this bitch talking about us like we're Star Wolf!"

"Bitch!" the councilwoman declared in appalled shock, her eyes flaring with rage.

"Falco, that's enough." Fox said sternly.

"How dare you talk to me like that, you mongrel!" the councilwoman shouted angrily. "I'm the elder of the Grand Council of Corneria, and you call me a bitch!"

"I don't give a damn who you are!" Falco declared fervorously, thrusting a feathered finger at the councilwoman's projection. "All you do is rain down on us about what 'bad' people we are when we're busy saving your sorry ass!"

"Well you did one hell of a job of it!" the councilwoman responded with sarcastic rage, baring her teeth. " How many people died in Corneria City? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? How many lives did you save? The city is all but dead and General Pepper actually pays you for your meager efforts!"

"Oh yeah?" Falco retorted." Well you-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Everyone was taken by surprise by Fox's sudden outburst. Slippy nearly fell from control panel. Krystal jumped with fright by his shout and both the councilwoman and Falco looked like they had been slapped.

"But she-" Falco began.

"No." Fox growled. "I said that's enough. Don't make me say it again." Falco's feathers raised as he took a defiant posture. He and Fox locked eyes for several moments before his temper was curbed by the angered look in Fox's eyes.

"Fine." Falco said gruffly. "But I'm not standing around to listen to her talk to use like that." Falco marched past and slammed his fist against the button to open the door, almost breaking it as he did. Krystal watched him sadly as he left, the door closing behind him. The room remained quiet for several moments before Fox spoke again.

"I apologize for my crew mate." He spoke, again with a forced formality. "He's out of sorts today." Councilwoman Diana made a strong effort to regain her composure as she responded.

"Really? I would imagine he's out of sorts every day." Fox grimaced but did his best to let the insult roll off his back. "But my opinion still stands." The Councilwoman continued. " I doubt you will be able to serve the interests of Corneria. Not as a mercenary, and not on the council. You have too much of a… vested interest." She declared contemptuously.

Fox hung his head as the councilwoman's words sank in. Krystal's eyes shown with pity for her friend, walking up beside him and gently taking his hand.

"Hey, it's okay…" She whispered comfortingly.

"No, it's not okay." Fox said quietly. "Because she's right." Krystal's eyes widened in surprise, and Councilwoman Diana mirrored the expression.

"What did you just say?" the councilwoman asked disbelievingly.

"I said you're right." Fox repeated, looking back up to the projection. " Thousands of people died because I didn't do my job properly. And we were still paid in spite of that."

"But Fox, that wasn't your fault…" Krystal whispered quietly.

"Krystal's right, Fox." Slippy agreed from his perch. "Don't beat yourself up. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. We were too slow to react and that was because of my own indecision and lack of proper judgement. And because we got paid anyway, there is no way I can properly represent the General under these conditions."

"So are you saying you will not sit on the council?" Councilwoman Diana asked with a hopeful glint in her eye.

"I didn't say that." Fox said cautiously.

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that with all my failings as a leader, the Star Fox Team lacks the ability to protect that it once had."

"But Fox…" Krystal pleaded, finding herself at a loss for words. He looked at her, and she saw the turmoil in his eyes, the guilt, the sorrow, all those feelings she had sensed in him before and she finally knew why. But that wasn't what frightened her now. It was the new feeling she was sensing from him, and the look in his eyes that told her what he intended to do.

"Fox, don't…" she begged him, hugging his arm to her chest as her eyes welled up with tears. "Don't do this to us… Please don't…" she had to stop to prevent herself from choking on her tears. His eyes never wavered. She knew he would do it in spite of her pleas.

"I'm sorry Krystal, but it has to be done. For the good of Corneria." He said quietly. He looked back up at the projection of Councilwoman Diana, away from Krystal's tear stained eyes that continued to plead with him. "Councilwoman, there has been something that I have been thinking about for the last few days. I have seen the dead and the injured because of my failure to act appropriately. I know the losses the city has suffered, and I understand the hypocrisy of me on the council as long as I remain a mercenary. I've been struggling to come to a decision on the matter, and that decision has finally been made clear. I have decided. As of today, the Star Fox Team is officially disbanded."

Author's Notes 

I understand this chapter has been long in coming and I sincerely apologize for the wait. Major plot twist, the possible climax before the story starts winding down. I'm trying to settle with ten chapters, since I have a Star Fox chronicle in mind involving Krystal's race that I am eager to get started on. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize for the language between Falco and Councilwoman Diana.


	7. Star Fox No More Forever

**Chapter 7: Star Fox No More Forever**

The room became deathly quiet as Fox's sudden declaration caught everyone by surprise, the only sound being Krystal's sobs as they echoed off the cold steel of the room.

"WHAT!" Slippy shouted from the control panel. "Fox, what do you think you're doing!" Fox ignored his friend as he continued to gaze determinedly at the projection of Grand Council Elder Diana. She also seemed very disturbed by Fox's sudden change of position. Normally Fox was a more defiant character, not prone to giving up and especially not to such a severity. Her mouth curled into a thoughtful frown as she studied him carefully.

"Are you serious?" She asked him slowly. Fox nodded his head. "Well… I suppose you know what you're doing…" She said slowly, almost reluctantly. "I expect to see you at the council meeting."

"Yes ma'am." Fox replied humbly, his voice devoid of emotion. The projection of the councilwoman gave a final nod before fading back into the blue haze of the hologram projector.

"Fox, why did you do that!" Slippy demanded as soon as the communication with the councilwoman had been disconnected. "The team is everything we have!"

"The team was becoming both a threat to itself and to Corneria. It was for the good of the people." Fox declared righteously, glaring at Slippy as if daring to argue. Slippy appeared to be quite vexed by Fox's decision, but his frustration was forgotten as his attention was directed elsewhere. Fox followed his eyes to see that Krystal had collapsed unnoticed at Fox's feet. Her hands were planted firmly in front of her, her shoulder hunched and quivering from her tears.

"Krystal, are you okay?" Fox asked her worriedly, kneeling down to help her up. The responding motion was so quick Fox had no time to react as a blue blur connected with his jaw, snapping his head to the side and causing him to stumble back a few feet from the impact. He caressed his tender cheek as he gazed at the vixen in startled surprise.

Krystal still sat upon the ground, but one arm was raised from where she had slapped him. Her eyes burned with the feeling of betrayal and sorrow as she glared at the team's former leader, her lips curled back in anger. Her cheek fur was matted with tears, her eyes blood red from her weeping.

"Krystal…" Fox gasped, finding himself horrified by her expression.

"How could you do that to us!" Krystal demanded, her voice cracking. She stood from the ground with her fists clenched in anger, her tears streaming freely down her face. "After all we've done for this team, what it meant to us, what it stood for, how could you do this to us!"

"But Krystal…" Fox began.

"Don't 'but Krystal' me! This team was the very symbol of our friendship. It was the guardian angel of Lylat, the savior of Corneria, and more importantly, your father's legacy." Krystal growled. " And he would be ashamed if he could see you now." Fox stood in stunned silence, watching the vixen do her best to dry her tears. She wiped at her eyes with the backs of her arms, her righteous fury abating as she attempted to regain her composure. She looked at him, the lost, hurt expression on his face, and he could see tears forming anew in her eyes before she abruptly turned and walked out of the room. Fox saw her leave, but made no move to follow. It was as if he were just a passenger in his own body, watching everything happen with no ability to change it.

"She's right, you know." Slippy said disapprovingly as he climbed down the control arm. "Things have been tough lately, but that's not a just cause to end the team. This team was your dad's legacy, and it wasn't meant to end with you." And with that, Slippy hurried out the door to try to catch up with Krystal, leaving Fox alone in the cold, steel room.

It took Slippy some time to find Krystal with his legs being considerably shorter than hers. He esd out of breath by the time he found her sitting outside on the lush grass, her knees pulled to her chest as she gazed out towards the setting sun with a thoughtful look upon her face. Slippy was wheezing softly as he took a seat next to her. He was about to say something to try to comfort her, but Krystal spoke before he had the opportunity.

"I failed the team…" She whispered solemnly, still looking out over the water.

"What?" Slippy asked with a start. "What makes you say that?"

"The other day you told me it would be me who would find the way to make Fox feel better, who would find out what was wrong with him. But I failed. I never figured it out until it was too late, and now there is nothing I can do." A stray tear fell down her cheek, and she wiped her eyes quickly with the back of her paw.

"But that doesn't mean you failed the team." Slippy argued. "It's not the end of the world. So he dissolved the team. Not his smartest decision, but then again Fox always was prone to making rash decisions. But I still believe if anyone can make things better, it's you."

"What can I do that no one else can?" Krystal sniffed.

"I'm afraid I don't know. If I did I'd be happy to do it for you." Slippy grinned. "You and Fox have a connection that you haven't even realized yet, and that will be what will save both Fox and this team."

"A connection?" Krystal asked, looking at him curiously. "What kind of connection?"

"Not my place to say." Slippy winked mischievously. "But I'm pretty sure you'll figure it out before it's all over." Krystal sighed in disappointment before turning her attention back to the horizon. They sat quietly for a few minutes to watch the sunset. The golden rays extended far into the sky, casting deepening shadows along the grassy hill of the Star Fox base.

"Well, I'm going to go tell Falco what happened and hope he's heard the saying 'don't shoot the messenger'". Slippy grunted as he forced himself to his feet. "Talk to you later." He called over his shoulder as he walked back into the base. Krystal however was too deep in thought to hear him.

"A connection." She whispered thoughtfully. "What could it be? Could it… no… he doesn't think of me that way… does he?" her heart fluttered in her chest and she had to take a moment to calm her nerves. "Just relax Krystal." She tried to reassure herself. "There's three more days till the council meeting, and you have till then to set things straight before Fox sets the dissolution in stone. There's still a chance." Embued with a sense of renewed hope, Krystal stood with a look of determination and turned the horizon to her back. The sun slipped below the ocean just as she walked through the door.

Krystal suffered from fitful dreams overnight, tossing restless about her bed. She dreamt of what her connection to Fox could be, and how possible misinterpretations could mean the permanent dissolvement of the Star Fox Team. She dreamt of the base being ripped down, of the remaining team members attempting their own mercenary squad only to go down in flames without Fox's guidance. She dreamt of several possible outcomes if circumstances turned foul. And then she dreamt of the one possible outcome if she succeeded in bringing Fox back to his senses. The outcome she'd only seen in her wildest fantasies…

Krystal bolted upright in bed, shaking and breathing heavily. Her fur was matted in a cold sweat and she pressed a paw to her forehead to try to calm down. The clock, which was still on the floor from the previous morning, read eleven AM. Somehow she had slept in late in spite of her dreams. She swung her feet out of bed and began to stand, but nearly collapsed under her shaking legs. She grabbed the bedpost to steady herself, carefully standing upright. Although she still wore the loose fitting purple and white pajamas she had chosen the night before and her fur was sticking out in odd directions, after the previous day's events she just didn't feel like getting dressed. Shuffling over to her door, she placed her palm against the control panel and with a slight beep the door slid open. Walking out into the hallway, stretching her arms with a loud yawn, she started to wonder why no one came to wake her. Surely there were still a lot of repairs to do on the base? Curious, she began walking towards the cafeteria, hoping to find someone.

A few minutes later she reached the large dining area that was the cafeteria and was relieved to see Slippy sitting at one of the tables, sipping at a cup of coffee while he viewed a holographic file on a hand held digital reader. Today he was wearing a pair of blue overalls with a yellow overcoat along with his standard red hat. He saw her enter and greeted her with a wave.

"Glad to see you finally woke up." He smiled.

" Yes, well I didn't sleep well last night." Krystal explained as she sat down at the table across from him. "What are you doing?" she asked, noticing the reader in his hand.

"What, this?" he asked, motioning to the device. "Just reading the morning paper. It's full of everything going wrong in Corneria, but it gets the mind off our own troubles." He explained.

"Speaking of which, where are the others? Aren't there more repairs to do today?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah, there are." Slippy sighed, putting his coffee cup on the table. "Unfortunately Fox has locked himself in his room and won't come out, so the repairs have come to a stop for now."

"Is he alright?" Krystal asked with concern, her heart beating faster as thoughts of the worst passed through her head.

"He's alive, if that's what you mean." Slippy replied, guessing at Krystal's worries. "As for Falco, when I told him what Fox did yesterday he flew off to Fox's rooming and started banging on his door, yelling all sorts of rude things at him. I imagine he's still doing that now."

"I'll go talk to them." Krystal offered with a sigh as she stood from the table. "I imagine Fox needs some cheering up and Falco needs some calming down before they both do something stupid."

"Good luck." Slippy said.

"What, you're not coming with me?" Krystal jested, grinning broadly.

"And get in Falco's way while he's angry?" Slippy asked, grinning as well as he took the joke in stride. "No thanks. I like being in good health."

"Alright. Take care then." Krystal said as she began to walk in the direction of Fox's room.

"You too." Slippy called out to her.

It took Krystal a minute before she reached the door to Fox's room, though she heard it long before she saw it. Metallic clangs rang out through the hallway, as well as loud, obscene shouting that became more audible as she drew close.

"Dammit, Fox! Open this door!" She heard Falco roar. She rounded the corner to see the avian facing a steel sliding door that would have appeared no different from any other in the building if the nameplate reading 'Fox McCloud' wasn't nailed to the front of it. The control panel next to it, which normally had a green display reading 'open access', now had a read display reading 'locked'. Falco's beak was twisted in extreme rage, the fire in his eyes making Krystal second guess approaching him. Falco was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a white T-shirt and leather jacket over top. His feathered hands were balled into tight fists at his sides and were shaking with anger. "I said open the door!" He shouted again, slamming his fists into the door a number of times.

"No." Krystal heard Fox's voice through the door. " I don't answer to you Falco. The Team may be no more, but this is still my base."

"Then evict me, I don't care!" Falco shouted. "But not until you fess up for what you did!"

"Boys, stop it." Krystal spoke calmly, trying to maintain her composure.

"Fess up?" Fox spoke from in his room, Krystal's words falling on deaf ears. "How many times do I have to tell you that in spite of your short sighted beliefs, it was for the good of the team?" he snarled.

"I said stop it!" Krystal demanded, a little louder this time.

"Short sighted!" Falco yelled in indignation, leaving Krystal unnoticed yet again. "At least I'm no quitter who gives up the very instant some wrinkly old bitch calls me a bad boy!"

"STOP!" Krystal roared at the top of her lungs, finally catching the attention of the bickering males and rendering them both speechless. Falco was staring at her in disbelief, seeing the fuming vixen's unkempt fur and wrinkled clothing as if he had never seen her before.

"Krystal… You look like hell." He said quite bluntly. Krystal rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Gee, thanks a lot." She said sarcastically. She walked up next to Falco and placed herself slightly between him and the door.

"How about you leave Fox alone for now and go help Slippy and Rob get some repairs done?" Krystal suggested, her hands placed firmly on her hips as she gave him a glare that dared him to argue.

"But he…" Falco began, glaring at the door over Krystal's head as if it had offended him.

"NOW." Krystal interrupted.

"Alright, fine." Falco replied quickly. "Jeez." He scratched the back of his head for a moment before turning in the direction of the Cafeteria. "But one last thing, Fox." He called into the room. "If you won't bring the team back, I will, and I won't abandon the team like you did."

"You'll do no such thing." Krystal said hotly, her dreams still fresh in her mind. "Now get out of here and let me handle this. You're not making things any better." She demanded, pushing him roughly down the hall.

"Alright, Alright! Jeez, why so pushy?" He muttered, frowning as he finally began to walk under his own power. Krystal watched him until he disappeared around the corner a moment later before she let loose an exasperated sigh, leaning against Fox's door and sliding to the floor. She closed her eyes as she tried to relax as she shifted her weight on the cool steel floor of the base.

Several minutes went by when neither of them spoke. Krystal merely sat there, and she could almost feel Fox doing the same thing on the other side of the door. She took deep steady breaths, trying to work up the courage to speak to him. She wasn't sure how Fox felt about what had happened the day before, but she still felt guilty for slapping him. Even if he probably deserved it.

"I'm sorry…. For hitting you yesterday." Krystal apologized softly. Silence reigned. "I just… I'm trying to understand… your decision." Krystal spoke slowly, picking her words carefully. "I want to know why you chose to dissolve the team." Still nothing. Fox was remaining quiet. "Fox, please talk to me." Krystal pleaded, turning to face the door and placing a hand against it as she tried to sense Fox's mind on the other side. "I'm sorry for the things I did and said yesterday; I truly am. But I don't understand why the risks are now too great to remain a team after all this time we've spent together." Fox remained silent for but a moment more before Krystal could hear him sigh on the other side.

"You can stop apologizing, Krystal. You didn't do anything wrong. You were only acting on what you believed to be the best interest of the team."

"But I still don't understand why it's too dangerous to keep the team together." Krystal responded anxiously, her worry for Fox starting to override her attempts to keep her voice level.

"It's… complicated…" Fox replied reluctantly. Krystal furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Fox, I'm always here for you and I'm willing to listen if you'd explain it to me." She reminded him.

"Well… While we were fighting the Aperiods, there were many times where we almost died. You, and the others several times, and I couldn't… I was unable to help." Krystal noticed the catch in his speaking but remained quiet as he continued. "And in the end, millions of people died because of my mistakes. Those people were depending on me. The team was depending on me. General Pepper and Peppy only survived because of their own actions and I did nothing to help them…I'm not fit in mind to lead, nor to be depended on."

"What do you mean not fit in mind?" Krystal asked him gently.

"I… It's because…" as Fox's words faltered Krystal sensed, for the briefest of moments, a bubble of pure unbridled joy in the Fox's mind that caught Krystal completely off guard. Its strength was surprising considering she was conversing with him through a solid steel door. But before she could discern what it was Fox's mental wall had erected itself once more.

"Yes?" Krystal prodded him, trying to get another sense of that happiness, hoping to find it's source. Not even daring to imagine it might be…

"Shouldn't you be tending to the repairs?" Fox asked her, startling her out of her thoughts.

"But…" she began.

"I know the team is no more but you all are still welcome to live here. And there is no sense in you living in a messed up building."

"True…" Krystal responded reluctantly as she stood. "And thank you… for not evicting us." She continued politely.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Was Fox's muffled response.

"I'll have Rob bring you your meals until you're ready to come out, okay?" she offered.

"Okay."

"Okay…" Krystal stood and stared at his door for several minutes, wanting to say so many things but unable to bring herself to say them. And so she turned and trudged sadly back towards the Cafeteria, the words unspoken unknowingly putting the two vulpines worlds apart.

Author's Notes: So ends Chapter 7. Fox's decision alienates him from the team and Krystal tries to understand what led to that choice. Unable to tell each other what they really wanted to say, Fox and Krystal part ways for the time being. I'm not all that happy with how I ended this chapter, I felt there was a better way I could have done this but was unable to put my finger on it. Still better than nothing I suppose. As always, please rate and review, my disclaimers are overdue so "Starfox and all related trademarks are property of Nintendo" and repeat that several times over for the chapters I forgot to include it in. My next story I plan on working will be a direct sequel of this one, so when this story is over start looking out for " Heaven's Destiny". As always enjoy, and happy reading to you.


	8. What Remains Unspoken

**Chapter 8: What Remains Unspoken**

Krystal sighed quietly to herself as she walked ever so slowly back towards the cafeteria. She could sense the others waiting for her, and she knew Falco would be asking her a series of rather difficult questions as soon as she entered. Preparing herself for the inevitable, she rounded the corner and entered the broad expanses of the base's dining area. Slippy was still sitting at the table, and Falco was leaning on the table as he waited, apparently for her.

"So what did he say?" Falco demanded before she had time to speak. Krystal closed her eyes, trying to find inner peace before what was most definitely going to be a stressful conversation.

"He said he dissolved the team because he was worried about us. He says he isn't of right mind to lead and he doesn't want to put us in danger."

"That doesn't sound like Fox at all." Slippy spoke up. "Normally Fox gets a thrill out of danger, and bringing us along for the ride. That's what the team has always been about. Saving the world and getting paid for it."

"I know…" Krystal replied sadly, absorbed in her thoughts. " He seems so different now, like keeping us alive is his primary concern." Falco snorted.

"Sounds to me like he simply snapped. Too many years being a thrill seeker and then seeing the results of it in Corneria City. The guy has hit his midlife crisis. He's too concerned with surviving instead of doing the right thing. Sounds to me like he hit the nail right on the head: he isn't of right mind to lead."

"Don't judge him so poorly." Krystal said sternly. " A Captain with compassion for his subordinates deserves more respect than that."

"Whatever." Falco scoffed. "All I know is without income, Fox won't be able to put up room and board for us for too long. So we either convince him to restart the team, or we restart it ourselves. There's no two ways about it."

"We'll worry about that when the time comes." Krystal said forcefully, again reminded of her dreams from the previous night. "In the meantime let's just get the repairs done."

"Why? What's the point if Fox disbanded the team?" Falco retorted.

"Because team or not, this is still our home." Krystal shot back, her patience wearing thin. " And I don't know about you but I have no intentions of living in a pig sty. "

"Alright, fine." Falco relented with the sigh. " You win. So what is there left to do?"

"I'm not sure." Krystal responded, biting her fingers as she tried to remember what all was left to be done.

"Hey, I think Rob may have an internal read out of the base, including areas in need of repair." Slippy offered.

"Good idea. Let's call him over here." Krystal agreed.

"Okay." Slippy nodded as he stood from the table. "Hey, Rob!" He called over to the robot, who had been cleaning dishes at the food bar while the others were conversing. "Could you come here for a moment please?"

"Roger." Rob's metallic voice confirmed. He placed the dishes back on the counter and retracted his telescopic arms before walking over to stand at attention in front of the others. "What is it you require?" he asked placidly.

"Could you please inform us as to which areas of the base still require further repairs?" Slippy asked politely.

"Roger." Rob confirmed. A panel in his chest slid open to reveal a monitor screen. On the screen was a schematic of the entire base, with major rooms and locations labeled. "The areas requiring more immediate repair are marked in red." Rob informed them.

"Thanks, Rob." Slippy thanked the android as they huddled around him so they could see the monitor. Krystal studied the map carefully. She was relieved to see that there wasn't as much red on the map as she expected, though there was still a lot left to do.

"The medic office isn't in the best of shape." Krystal murmured thoughtfully. "I suppose I could clean that space up."

"I'll take the gym." Falco said as he pointed to that particular blotch of red on the monitor. " I'm probably going to use it more than anyone else anyway so I might as well whip it into shape."

"Well, I suppose I could take care of the conference room, though it honestly doesn't seem like we'll be making much use of it in the future…" Slippy sighed.

"Well if we can get this done today, then that would only leave the rest of the soldier's quarters to fix up plus some minor technical glitches." Krystal said, relieved that the end of the repairs were in sight.

"Thanks, Rob." Slippy said again. "You can return to the dishes now."

"Roger." The android replied as he turned and started marching off back to the kitchen.

"Wait!" Krystal shouted, suddenly reminded of her promise to Fox as she hurried to catch up.

"Yes? What do you require?" Rob asked as he tuned to face her.

"I promised Fox we'd be sure he's fed while he's in his room. Could you please be sure to fix his meals and take them to his room at regular dining hours?" Krystal asked.

"Affirmative."

"Okay, thanks, Rob." Krystal smiled, giving the android a quick hug of appreciation before returning to the others. Falco watched the whole display incredulously.

"What was that all about?" he asked her.

"Nothing, just keeping a promise." She responded nonchalantly. "So, is everyone ready to get started?"

It was only a few minutes later that Krystal found herself in the medical ward. The room was dusty and dank and the lights were broken and so it was rather dimly lit. Upon entering the room Krystal tripped on an overturned medical cart and had to grab one of the beds in the room to avoid falling. She bent over and stood the cart upright before continuing into the room. Deciding the room was far too dark to work properly, she reached into the backpack she had brought with her and pulled out a number of cube lights. Better than incandescent and not as large as fluorescent, they were ideal light bulbs for the overhead fixture. Standing on the bed, she unscrewed the broken bulb and tossed it into the trash can by the door before screwing in the new bulb. With a nimble jump from the bed and a flick of the switch, the room was bathed in soft white light that lit up even the darkest corners of the room. Now that she could see the room properly, she noticed several beds besides the one she had just used, as well as a number of large filing cabinets against the back wall. A table in the middle of the room, what was probably the nurse's station, had numerous papers scattered all over its surface. Krystal walked over to the table, pushing the cart in front of her, and began gathering the papers into a stack before setting them gently on the cart. She began humming to herself as she went about cleaning the room an within an few hours it was looking spotless with fresh linens on the beds and the medical supplies restocked. All that remained was to put the papers back in the filing cabinet.

Krystal brushed her bangs aside, allowing the lavender blue locks to rest lightly against her furry cheeks. Picking up a stack of the papers off the cart, she began sorting them based on their subject matter and she knew the Star Fox base used to be a military base. She didn't know it actually kept the record from that time. As she sorted the papers, she came across coroner's reports, discharge papers, health reports, injury reports, and every form of paperwork ever associated with the medical department. She browsed through them curiously as she sorted them and placed them in the filing cabinets. It was when she was about two thirds of the way through the stack when she saw something that caught her eye.

"Hmm?" She took a second look at the paper to be sure she read it right. It was a coroner's report, yet it was for a discharged soldier. Odd. She flipped open the file to see who it was that had died. Her eyes went wide when she read the name. "No way!" she read it again, and then read it a third time just to be sure her eyes weren't lying to her. She flipped through the file and as she read it, pieces started falling into place. She finally understood why Fox was so worried, She understood why he was frightened, why he disbanded the team. It wasn't just that he felt he was no longer fit to lead. It was much, much more.

Krystal didn't even stop to finish filing the papers. Tucking the coroner's report under her arm, she marched out into the hallway and back down towards the Cafeteria. She passed through cafeteria straight into the next hallway and went around the corner until she was facing the door with Fox McCloud emblazoned on it. She rapped her knuckles against the door, confident that Fox was probably still sulking inside.

"Fox, we need to talk." She demanded. Her ears twitched slightly as they picked up the subtle sound of Fox's footsteps as he walked across his room towards the door.

"What is it?" he asked through the door.

"I get it." Krystal said. "I know now what's going on. I found it."

"Found what?"

"The coroner's report. You know the one I'm talking about." Sudden silence. It hung in the air like a stifling shroud. Krystal was beginning to wonder if he had heard her when he finally spoke.

"I know the one. So you found it, huh?" his voice was but a whisper and Krystal barely heard him. She wouldn't have heard him at all if it weren't for her keen sense of hearing.

"Yes Fox, I did. And I'm very disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"Yes Fox, because you let your past haunt you. Your afraid of what might happen, and that keeps you from doing what you know is right. You'd save us by destroying what we stood for." Krystal's muzzle was turned into a frown, the corners of her eyes welling up with tears. "He wouldn't be proud of you, Fox. Not when you give up who you are and what it is that makes you our leader so you can hide us like a coward." Her voice quivering in frustration, Krystal finds herself unable to hold back her tears any longer. She lets the folder fall to the floor as she dashes down the hallway to her room, her hands over her face to muffle her sobs so Fox can't hear her. The top sheet of the Coroner's Report slid from the folder, revealing the name of the deceased. No one was around to read it, but Fox still knew what it said.

"Deceased: James McCloud."

Author's Notes: It took a lot to get me to finish this chapter. I wanted to put more material in it but found myself lacking in inspiration. I'm taking on too many projects at once and it's starting to weigh on me. But anyway, this is the eighth chapet of Travesty of Doubt. Star Fox and all related trademarks copyright of Nintendo. Chapter 9 promises to be longer. After that it's chapter 10, and then that's the end of the story. So two more chapters left.


End file.
